State Rep. Maureen Walsh (R-College Place) has resigned as chair of the committee Democrats offered her as a show of bipartisanship:
Rep. Maureen Walsh stepped down Thursday as vice chairman of the House Committee on Early Learning and Children’s Services, The Associated Press reported. Walsh, R-College Place, was one of two Republicans selected by Democrats for top committee posts in December, in a nod to bipartisanship. Rep. Tom Campbell also was named chairman of the newly formed Select Committee on Environmental Health.
“Maybe it was naive of me to not think it would cause any problems,” said Walsh, who also cited family concerns as part of her decision. Her husband died in April, and she has a 14-year-old son attending school in Olympia during session.
“When it boiled right down to it, the fact that I had some folks in my caucus who would view me a little different or not see me as a team player … I don’t need that. I don’t need that at all,” she told The Associated Press.
There has been lots of hand wringing about how this is bad sign for bipartisanship. Nothing could be further from the truth. For Republicans, Walsh’s resignation makes Democrats responsible for whatever is passed from that committee. The GOP can now fire at will at Democrats without putting Walsh in the position of defending the Democrat’s agenda. Democrats need to realize that they are the choice of most voters. Democrats won in ’06! Frank Chopp and others can say nice things about working together with the GOP, but committee chairs need to be on the team and share our values.
Folks voted for Democrats in ’06 because, sure, they wouldn’t mind a little ‘working together’, but they voted mostly because they wanted to fix roads, fund schools, provide healthcare to kids, and pursue government reform. The House Speaker would do well remember why folks gave him that huge majority in the first place.
And now when DeBolt and his fellow Republicans complain about the Democrats acting unilaterally, and ignoring the input of the minority party, when can point towards the Walsh resignation and laugh.
Chopp extended an olive branch, however minor. And R’s slapped him back in the face with it.
And it had to be GOP leadership that made her resign, nobody else has that power.
Keep your eye on the appropriations committee.
Campbell isn’t a real Republican… he attends their caucus meetings only every now and then.
Folks voted for Democrats in ‘06 because, sure, they wouldn’t mind a little ‘working together’, but they voted mostly because they wanted to fix roads, fund schools, provide healthcare to kids, and pursue government reform. The House Speaker would do well remember why folks gave him that huge majority in the first place.
Bull Shit Goldy the Democrats have been running this State for years and nothing will change as long as the NIMBY’s run the show.
Figures that Goldy would support the actions of yet another Cheap Labor Liberal
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....rt15m.html
Your little club is growing Goldy.
No surprise that GOPers are more interested in being obstructionists than having a say in policy or legislation and helping solve the state’s problems.
@4 You’re right, klake, nothing will change as long as Republicans act like children in the throes of “Terrible Twos” — until Washington’s Republicans grow up, voters will continue to snub them and elect adults to the Legislature.
It’s fucking stoopid to think that society is somehow better when moonbats and conservatives work together. Just plain flat out fucking wrong.
Society is better off ONLY when socialist moonbats and their kooky ideas are defeated.
Notice how it’s only moonbats that call for “bipartisanship”? That’s code for demanding that conservatives captitulate. When moonbats refuse to work with conservatives, the moonbats are lauded for “standing up on principles”. Like they have any…
geez… s/b “capitulate”
lol..
Goldy @ 1, you are right. They can point back to this. What is really tragic is that the less radical repubs like Walsh can be manipulated and kept from becoming a more rational force in Washington Politics. Walsh should have said “too bad, I’m going into this because it is important”. Leaders do that sort of thing.
re 8: I am tickled pink that manly men like Mark the Porkchop Kennedy is revealing your liberal weakness with his manly obstreperous.
That’s who we are in the GOP! We’re manly men making YOUR children do manly things.
And that LIBERAL who hoped the Bush twins choked on a cocktail weenie! Shame on you!!!! (But droll, very droll!)
11
List of GOP Manly Men:
1. Ted Haggard
2. Mark Foley
3. Jim West
#8. Attention Mark Dumbass:
You inadvertently but correctly referred to Republicans as the socialist moonbats.
As you undoubtedly know, there is more corporate welfare in dollars than so-called traditional welfare.
So thanks for the accidental truth, sonny.
@ 13
I’m not knocking the Dems for working with Campbell.
I would always say that too much partisanship is a bad thing, my own hand wringing aside. Though, I was there, it was more along the lines of cringing. I just think its too bad it didn’t work out.
Just so we’re clear…
If anything goes wrong in this state, it’s on the Democrats.
One party rule means one party responsibility.